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Mental Health

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Britain’s Prince Harry went public this weekend with his mental health struggles. He spoke about the shutting down he went through after his mom died when he was twelve. It’s not a surprise that someone who was so young when he lost his mom in a very public and publicized accident might have some residual depression or anxiety. His disclosure also explains the Heads Together campaign I read about a couple of weeks ago. He’s started a mental health awareness campaign with brother Will and his partner Kate. Love or hate the British monarchy and all it stands for; fighting mental health stigma is a good thing in my opinion.

Harry’s story got me looking up some other mental health stories circulating right now. Read more

Blog topics go beyond 9-5. For work related posts only, click the work tag or say hi on LinkedIn.
Vancouver has been unusually bound by snow and ice this winter, reminding me vividly of a couple of things. One- people who drive in Vancouver are inexperienced with snow. We just don’t get enough on a regular basis to maintain good skills. Two- we are all temporarily able-bodied, as an advocate friend of mine says.

At the beginning and end of our lives, and for some of us at other points as well, we will be dependent on others to help with our mobility and often at the simplest things- food, personal care. Snowy and icy sidewalks that were left uncleared reminded me of this as I watched people struggle and skidded about myself.

The alarms have started, bells and plinks that will play several minutes apart. My son uses three; my daughter two, pulling them from sleep, these steps into morning marked with sound. I put on the kettle for tea.

Blog topics go beyond 9-5. For work related posts only, click the work tag or say hi on LinkedIn.

Today is Bell Let’s Talk day, a campaign that has four initiatives, one of which is recognizing the importance of destigmatizing mental health challenges. The campaign started in 2010 and Olympian Clara Hughes has been speaking up and out throughout its years. She has been open about her life with depression. Other celebrities have added their voices to the campaign along the way, including Mary Walsh, Howie Mandel, Serena Ryder and Michel Mpambara. Read more

Most mornings I walk with my dog Miller past the coffee shop, and sometimes I see a few ambulances at the corner, the white blocky trucks making impressive outlines against the quiet street. If you’ve ever been in an ambulance, you know how solid they feel. When I rode with someone once, I was struck by the sturdiness, so weighted to the ground as we rolled our way to the hospital. The paramedic sitting with us in the back spoke quietly and calmly. Read more